The High North
__TOC__ Pre-wiki data, delete later The central northern coast of Halintar is ruled by the sweet, mild-mannered bronze dragon known as Paradoxie. She lives and mingles with the locals (mostly merfolk) more than any of the other “god-dragons”, and considers them friends rather than people to rule over. While she does rule the region, she’s more interested in running her trade company, which she uses to obtain riches and artifacts from distant lands. However, she is not to be taken lightly- the loyalty of her people, along with the powerful magic-users of the area, protect and maintain the peace of the High North. Due to this region’s safe neutral ground between the two primary Northern god-dragons, it was a perfect location for the magic-users of the country to form their various colleges, known together as the Wizards of the Coast. Each different school has their own dedicated college, where students are guided by the college’s Dean and their professors. The leaders of these colleges also dictate the laws of the land… but due to the fact that each college has their own committees, and all of them have to pass an identical bill for it to be submit to Paradoxie for approval, it’s hard to get much of anything done amongst the seven of them. Past the creation of laws, the enforcement of them is pushed by Paradoxie’s guild, the Bronze Gulf Traders. A group of rogueish officers, they utilize their fleet alongside the caravans they escort to ensure the loyalty of the people to the loose laws the dragon-god takes in. Paradoxie’s brood, or those who decide to stay in Halintar, serves with both the Wizards and the Traders, choosing one to align themselves with and doing whatever they can to assist their mothers’ “great friends”. The dragons that live amongst the Wizards’ colleges learn magic alongside the students there, making them even more dangerous than the average dragon. Note: The merfolk of Halintar do not have legs- the vast majority of them travel on land via floating bubbles, though some do know how to transform themselves to have legs (and don’t enjoy it at all). History Prehistory (3,000+ years ago) The Insurrection (3,000-2,000 years ago) The Age of Ardence (2,000-905 years ago) The Metier Era (905 years ago to present) ((invasion, counter-assault, etc. Kaiken left ~400 years ago)) Geography general geography summary Landmarks Climate Fauna Flora Demographics Courses States in the High North are called courses. They're categorized into three distinct regions, though Bleupont and the Wishbone are considered separate from the rest of them. Bleupont Bleupont is renowned as the "Pearly Gates" to Halintar, the home of the city of Cinadaria. ((more info later)) The Merende The Merende, also known as the "Edgelands", are the four states on the western edge of the country that line themselves up against the mountain range separating the North from Pyx's territory. Perigord Named for the forest of which takes up most of this course, Perigord is a rather remote territory with little actual inhabitants. It's most famous for the wild pigs that make their home here, sniffing out the rare truffles that only grow here. Semolina This narrow stretch of land along the outer edge of the Greatclaw Ridge is another mostly-wild course. It's mostly inhabited by older, "retired" Bronze dragons, which hoard old out-of-commission ships- they also volunteer their services to watch other people's ships when not in use, for a price. Treybakenster The mountainous territory of Treybakenster is an outpost more than anything. An embassy for the Crusaders of the Sterling Serpent is set up here so that Pyxian guards can help keep an eye on any suspicious outer-sea activity, and provide support for the local towns in case of any attacks. Volubilis Volubilis nests on the edge of the Greatclaw Peninsula, acting as a thin natural shield against unwelcome seafaring foes. Much of the land here is dedicated space for Paradoxie's army and navy, with several bases and warehouses for building ships. The Colazione The Escutcheon, a wide ring of sea that encircles the mainlands of the North and connects it to the ocean, make up the Colazione. There's a huge community of merfolk in this part of the country, and it is home to most of the colleges of the Wizards of the Coast. Limonana Protected by the Maesgout and the Riparare Range, Limonana is a very peaceful course. Many tourists from within and outside of the continent enjoy coming to visit the quaint Varde Isles, prolific with resorts and undersea tours on the backs of the majestic manatees. Chalap In the center of the West Escutcheon is the course of Chalap, littered with isles and coves that make the territory difficult to navigate for ships and swimming dragons to squeak through. Most notable are Adobo Isle, a large island with several small salt-harvesting towns along its coast; and the island of Apple, which hosts an ancient orchard that's been kept for generations by old dragons and a population of Treant plantfolk. Lyme Keys The Lyme Keys are infamous for the pirate activities that proliferate its islands and coasts. Many a band of brigand (and vigilante anti-pirates) dot the waterfront, crisscrossing through the outer sea and Bleupont as they attempt to attack (or protect) the foreign merchant ships that come to trade in the capitol. It's home base to most pirating crews, though they tend to move often, leaving many a tale of buried treasures and sunken ships to lure in treasure hunters as well. Karbonaad (The Pork Chop) Though the more prideful natives prefer the official name, Karbonaad, most folks have fallen to the nickname of the Pork Chop for this course thanks to its unique shape. Visitors to this territory are often merchant ships waiting for their time to enter the mainland- often pleased to see that many immigrants from more familiar territories have made their homes here. The residents of the various towns by Bordeaux Bay are mostly immigrants, fishing on the edge of the Dujina Skerry and using the harvested materials to cook dishes native to their homelands. Decoquere This archipelago of islands in the heart of the East Escutcheon are bursting with life from both sea and land. Paradoxie has declared for many years that this bounty of life must be preserved, meaning there are no towns within the course- but upon asking permission, small expedition teams are allowed to visit the islands every once in a while. The wildlife here is so peaceful that some Bronze dragons are posted just to protect the land from poachers and pirates who may ignore their Goddess' will. Vesper Vesper is a jagged piece of sea, coiling its way through the edges of the Maesgout and into the top of the Dobra Reacharound in the mainland. Though deep within the East Escutcheon, this area's weather and water tend to be quite temperamental at times, and many seafaring folks dedicate their lives to becoming seasoned veterans of the Vesper's violent seas. The Maesgout Creolewy Sometimes referenced to as the Nightcap, Creolewy claims the triangular peninsula that jabs between Chalap and the Lyme Keys. It's absolutely filthy with pirating activity on its coast, causing many honest townsfolk to leave. Those that remain are hardened seafolk that know their way around ranged weaponry and cannons used in self-defense. La Grenouille Named for the infamous merfolk pirate Lainne "Croakbeard" Grenouille, this course has been all but sacrificed to illegal pirate activity. Many thieves and treasure hunters find themselves obsessed with the territory, as they attempt to hunt down Croakbeard's Bounty. Currently this area is home of the famous pirate Yenta Naylu, "the Queen of Pearls", who has plagued the Lyme Keys with her criminal activities for over 100 years. Andouillen Sheltered from most of the pirating activities by the courses to the north of it, Andouillen profits in its cozy relationship with the tourist course of Limonana. Those who run out of money or simply can't afford the luxurious prices of Limonana's resorts come to Andouillen, eventually discovering the smaller courses' unique charm along the way. Sous'vide Coated in forest, Sous'vide is a course well-known for its historic significance during the Metier Era. When the High North was taken captive by Kaiken, those who resisted took shelter in Sous'vide, where they built many secret forts and initiated guerilla warfare against the invaders when they could. Today many of those forts are continuously discovered every year, creating much intrigue for historians and archivists (and criminals on the run) today. Wainnan Wainnan, like Sous'vide, was a host course to anti-Kaiken resistance troops during the beginning of the Metier Era. However, unlike Sous'vide, Wainnan was mostly conquered before their foes finally fled. Though most were destroyed after they were kicked out of the country, some Kaiken ruins remain in the wilderness of the course. As they're usually booby-trapped they often remain unexplored until thoroughly cleaned out by experienced adventurers. Kedgeree One of the few landlocked courses of the High North, Kedgeree is a human-dominated course lined with many land- and sky-based trade routes. Small trade towns and farming villages are scattered throughout, making some living as hosts and providers to travelers and caravans moving deeper into the country. Zestermouth Another course heavily affected by the attacks from Kaiken. So much so that many descendants of Kaiken's forces still live in the towns that dot the coast, though oftentimes they denounce the acts of their ancestors to save face. Most famous of these is the coastal city of Nacimeinto, whose residents are mostly of mixed High/Wood Elven descent. Hopback Hopback functions primarily as a sanctuary for those who are tossed about by the relentless Vesper sea, having had their boats crash into it's rocky shores. The natives of this course are known to be quite kind to these unfortunate fellows, nursing them back to health at no cost and even offering them work and shelter until the washed-up individuals figure out what they'd like to do next with their lives. Because of this, those who leave Hopback often return with offerings of money and resources to repay for their kindness. Many old folks like to retire here and enjoy the cliffside views and year-long breezy weather. Jambalaya Spanakopita Another rare landlocked course, Spanakopita is the land hub of all High North trade and travel. Mercenaries and seasoned travelers loiter in the territory seeking commission from outsiders seeking guidance through the rest of the continent. A slightly embarrassing current-day nickname for this course is "Spanktopia". This started when famed erotic novella author Asteroth "Shucks" Tingleton, a young Bronze dragon from the city of Podguznik, made it big time in the world of erotic fiction with his satirical work Pounded in the Butt by my own Handsome Time-Traveling Space Clone from the Elemental Plane of Positive Energy Who's Also a Ghost Doctor. Though only published about a year ago, a friend of Shucks brought the work to a publisher who found it so intriguing they immediately moved out to sell it all throughout Halintar and beyond. The locals are still having trouble deciding if they want to embrace this fame, as it brings in more revenue from book sales, or reject it's dirty nature. Fromage Open fields hold secret caverns that lead deep into the ground in Fromage. The people here live a druidic lifestyle, but there is a deep mystery to their ways of life, as well as the Three Ches Plateaus, high enough in the air that even dragons can’t fly up to. Trou Normandy Wavy hills lead to a beautiful beach where only the truly wealthy are privileged to live. Most of the land in Trou Normandy is dedicated to extremely wealthy organizations, both within Halintar and outside of it. The local population main source of income is based on tourism. Cobbury Deemed a “National Park, not to be trifled with” Cobbury is another location on Halintar where plantfolk come from in droves, protected heavily by The Bronze Gulf Traders. Cobbury has few villages save for the reincarnation trunk deep in the forest. Many creatures said to be of fey origin live here as well. Cobbury also is well known for a group of farmers who have made international fame for their farmed vanilla beans Galetton Galetton goes by many names, most notably, “The Bay of Marauders” as the coast is known for it’s shaggy cities filled with debauchery and crime, a favorite spot for many pirates of the sea. Galettons forest is said to hold riches from an old dragon, and it’s for the taking for anyone who can survive his deadly maze. Romesco People from Romesco are said to have ridiculous accents. A land of culinary genuius, most who are well adept in the arts of Babishing are said to have learned a thing or two from the chief chefs of Romesco. Romesco has a huge amount of livestock and farmland, along with the chef’s guild. Couscous Home to the Lightingcasters; a group of evocation mages who disassociated from the Wizards of the Coast, Couscous main export are products made from fish that aren’t edible, Glues, Oils, Fertilizer, Isinglass, you name it. Ballotine Welding and manufacturing are major industries of Ballotine. Ballotine is also said to be the hidden home of some dubious scions of a strange being. Gooduckenstien Turduckenstein The Course that makes up the neck of the peninsula in the High North, connecting it to the mainland of Halintar. there are several towns scatter across this region, along with other notable locations, the grass is a vibrant green throughout most of the year, and the sky turns a brilliant orange when dusk falls, that is incomparable to anywhere else in the world. Wishbone Ethnic Groups Language Religion Category:Countries Category:WIP